Dairy and citrus liquid products are often contained in cartons constructed of cardboard material. This carton is constructed of a single sheet of cardboard material folded to form a bottom, sidewalls and an enclosed top for holding liquid contents. When the paper material is folded and joined together, seams are formed on the interior surface of the bottom of the carton. These seams create pressure points on the exterior surface of the bottom of the crate. Liquid in the cartons has a tendency to seep through these seams and leak from the carton at, and around, the pressure points.
Crates used for storing and transporting cartons usually have a rectangular floor, and four sidewalls, integral the floor, extending upward from the floor forming an interior of the crate in which the cartons are placed. The crates are usually constructed from molded plastic material to form an integral unit. The cartons have a generally rectangular shape so the cartons are aligned side-by-side within the crate. The dimensions of the interior of the carton are such that a set of cartons fits firmly within the crate.
The floor of the crate has a horizontally disposed interior surface. Many of the crate floors have a lattice structure constructed of a plurality of integrally connected ribs. It is generally accepted that the ribbed or lattice structure in crates decreases the overall weight of the crate yet still provides sufficient support for the cartons within the crate. In addition, this type of floor structure provides efficient cleaning for an empty crate and circulation of a carton-filled crate. Unfortunately, the floors of many such crates contact the aforementioned pressure points on the carton bottoms.
When the cartons are placed within the crate, the bottom exterior surface of the carton contacts the interior surface of the crate. More specifically, the pressure points contact the interior surface of the crate floor. This contact between the crate floor, and the bottom of the carton at the pressure points causes the bottom of the carton to flex, which may weaken the seams in the bottom of the carton, and exacerbate seeping and leaking through the seams.
A patent issued to R. L. Erickson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,428 is for a "Milk Carton Container". This patent discloses a plurality of grooves and apertures in a bottom wall of the container. These grooves and apertures are apparently designed to provide adequate drainage of water from the container and circulation about cartons positioned in the container. In addition, the sidewalls of the container space leak-producing areas of the cartons from the corners of the container.